The Record: Letters, Monday, July 14

The Record

Blame Hamas

for Mideast turmoil

Regarding "Desperation at Gaza crossing" (Page A-1, July 11):

This sad situation is caused by Hamas and Hamas only. Hamas continues to fire short- and long-range rockets deliberately into civilian populations in Israel. While many of these have been aborted by the Iron Dome system, some have caused injury, death and much property damage. I have learned that approximately 40 percent of Israel's population live within range of these rockets, causing them to live in constant fear.

Israel has used incredible restraint in not responding sooner, even after many warnings to this terrorist group. The United States would not, and should not, tolerate even one missile were it to be fired from Canada, Mexico or anywhere else.

Hamas deliberately places these rocket launchers in civilian populations so as to achieve its goal of death. Yes, the death of its own people. The higher the casualty numbers, the more sympathy it will get. Israel, on the other hand, warns the people of the targeted installations. News reports say that Israel actually telephones the inhabitants of buildings targeted for destruction. Hamas forces these same people to stand on the rooftops to act as human shields so as to discourage the Israeli pilots. Even if this fails, Hamas has achieved its goal of death and propaganda.

The Record article includes a bit of the above facts. However, most readers will not delve that far and instead draw from the article anti-Semitic feelings that I personally have experienced.

The John Leckie Bus Co. is the bus company my district paid to transport my daughter for 180 days for the last two years.

I held my breath from the moment she stepped onto that bus to the time she walked through the door at home.

The stories that I read have so much truth in them, I could have written the article myself. The funniest one was about the bus being late and a student giving directions, which is exactly what goes on. And in the months during the harsh winter, there was no heat on the bus.

There were also times the bus left my daughter at school and didn't show up in the morning. I am glad this news is now public, because whenever I mentioned it to the district — and I have documentation — nothing happened. I hope the company will think twice about how it will transport students in September.

I applaud U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and his position on Iraq. I believe that the United States should not risk the life of precious soldiers in Iraq, which has elected to serve as a proxy for the present Iranian regime.

Neither country is democratic or following basic human-rights policies. The Iranians know how to play chess with other people's bodies, and the United States should leave them with the quagmire in Iraq. The present Iranian regime is using not only the Iraqi people, but also the Syrians, the Lebanese and now the Palestinians. They are fomenting and responsible for the present situation in the Middle East and cannot be trusted in any negotiation, especially with their nuclear programs.

Avraham Yacobi

Englewood, July 9

Voting should not

be too easy

Regarding "Thwarting the youth vote" (Other Views, July 9):

I disagree with columnist Catherine Rampell.

The barriers to voting that she cites have nothing to do with age. With all the illegal immigrants in this country and more coming in, we need to have proof that the individual who is voting is a citizen of the United States.

I do not have a problem showing an ID card when requested; that's why we have driver's licenses. As for out-of-state college students voting in the state where they are attending school, how do we know that they aren't also voting in their home state?

Is there a way to check that out? I doubt it. There is very little oversight in government. However, they do have a legitimate reason to register for an absentee ballot.

I am also against same-day registration for the same reasons. And I am against absentee voting unless the individual is really away from his home territory on Election Day.

Making it easy for people to vote just makes it easy for voter fraud to take place. If you can't find time to go to your voting booth on Election Day, then voting is really not that important to you.

The Record: Letters, Monday, July 14

This sad situation is caused by Hamas and Hamas only. Hamas continues to fire short- and long-range rockets deliberately into civilian populations in Israel. While many of these have been aborted by the Iron Dome system, some have caused injury, death and much property damage. I have learned that approximately 40 percent of Israel's population live within range of these rockets, causing them to live in constant fear.

Israel has used incredible restraint in not responding sooner, even after many warnings to this terrorist group. The United States would not, and should not, tolerate even one missile were it to be fired from Canada, Mexico or anywhere else.

Hamas deliberately places these rocket launchers in civilian populations so as to achieve its goal of death. Yes, the death of its own people. The higher the casualty numbers, the more sympathy it will get. Israel, on the other hand, warns the people of the targeted installations. News reports say that Israel actually telephones the inhabitants of buildings targeted for destruction. Hamas forces these same people to stand on the rooftops to act as human shields so as to discourage the Israeli pilots. Even if this fails, Hamas has achieved its goal of death and propaganda.

The Record article includes a bit of the above facts. However, most readers will not delve that far and instead draw from the article anti-Semitic feelings that I personally have experienced.

The John Leckie Bus Co. is the bus company my district paid to transport my daughter for 180 days for the last two years.

I held my breath from the moment she stepped onto that bus to the time she walked through the door at home.

The stories that I read have so much truth in them, I could have written the article myself. The funniest one was about the bus being late and a student giving directions, which is exactly what goes on. And in the months during the harsh winter, there was no heat on the bus.

There were also times the bus left my daughter at school and didn't show up in the morning. I am glad this news is now public, because whenever I mentioned it to the district — and I have documentation — nothing happened. I hope the company will think twice about how it will transport students in September.